The Lost Ones 33.

Summer. West Southlands. Maldin Hills.

Lisell Maera the messenger runs uphill. She has smelt smoke for the last little while, and now she can see it in the early morning light of dawn.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury spots the airship, and she drops down behind some rocks to one side of the trail.
She peeks over the rocks as she loads her crossbow, and waits for the others to make their way up the hillside.
Next is Shur Kee the monk, and he too has spotted the airship drifting over the village that's further uphill.
The short, statured monk who is from the otherside of the continent, the far east coast to be exact. Where you can find his homeland, the kingdom of Wah Lee.
Runs off the trail, so that he comes up beneath the orchard and vineyard. Which by the looks of it, is untouched. As the smoke seems to be coming from the village that's further up.
The physical adept who is an honorary member of the personal council to lord Farque, looks back down the hill to see how the others are faring.
Next is sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is running up the hillside trail towards the village that's under attack.
The nobleborn knight form the kingdom of Druvic, is breathing heavily as he races uphill.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che looks back to see who is following him. And grins as he sees he's left his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc well down the trail from him.
Heading uphill next is Tamric Drubine the field commander, along with Saanea the witch.
The nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Has already told the pretty looking hillwoman with him to hold her power within herself, as there's a spellcaster onboard the airship they've just spotted.
Next to the young field commander, the witch who is from here in the Maldin Hills.
Is doing exactly that. Holding her power within herself so she can't be detected.
It's something rather difficult for Saanea, as she hasn't done it that often in the past.
Nor has she done it while being so physical, as running uphill has proven to be.
The practitioner of magic who is originally from the very north of the hill country. Who was found by the group in the southern half of the range.
Has never experienced battle before either. So what she's doing right now, is all brand new to her. And to be honest, a lot more frightening than she expected.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Is just glad there's not more alert lookouts onboard the twin masted airship that's further uphill.
Whoever is on watch onboard the vessel, is too busy watching what's happening in and around the village. Than they are at looking back down the hill, and the trails that lead up to the rather large village, that's set upon a number of terraces towards the top of a hill.
The young field commander looks back down the trail at the last member of the group who is trailing the others.
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle that's located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin. Gives a few hand signals to the last member of the group who is heading uphill.
Dorc da Orc grumbles and mutters to himself in the language of the orks as he heads up the hillside trail.
The large ork who is already feeling the heat of the day, even though it's just dawn up here in the Maldin Hills.
Scowls in anger as he runs up the trail with his head down, and his arms pumping with effort.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world who is in the mood to kill anyone, he doesn't care who, just anyone will do.
Lifts his head up, and looks up the trail. And sees Tamric Drubine the field commander further uphill. Giving him a number of hand signals. The ork weaponsmith grimaces in disgust, then he picks up the pace. To catch up to Tam and the witch Saanea, who have stopped next to some boulders, and some of the scrubby looking trees that are found throughout the Maldin Hills.
Further up the trail, sir Percavelle Lé Dic looks up, and spots Lisell Maera crouching behind some rocks that are off to one side of the trail.
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic. Sees the messenger look at him, and point back down the trial.
The large, heavily armoured knight looks downhill, to where he sees field commander Drubine waving at him to come back down.
The nobleborn knight who is a former paladin, hurries back down the trail, to where Tam is with the witch Saanea next to some boulders, and some scrubby looking trees.
Once sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, has come back down the hill about forty yards.
Tamric Drubine the field commander quickly tells Saanea the witch "I want you to go up to where Lis is" followed by "Percy and Dorc will go with you".
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic scowls when he hears that. So does the ork warleader who makes his way up to them, breathing heavily as he does so.
"You should be able to see into the village from up there" continues the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who then adds "Teleport Dorc and Percy in there".
Tam then tells the pretty looking hillwoman "Then hit that airship with everything you've got" he follows that with "You better ward yourself too, because that spellcaster of their's will know you're around, and will want to eliminate you".
The local spellcaster who doesn't show the fear she's feeling, nods her head in understanding in response to the young field commander asking her "You got that?".
Then the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, says to the large heavily armoured knight, and the big, burly ork "Kill as many of them as you can".
The bitter rivals both grin, then they both sourly smile when Tam dryly tells them "And not each other".
Field commander Drubine then says "I want you to draw their attention" followed by "So do what you normally do" he dryly adds "Make a mess of things".
Which causes the former earl of Lé Dic to guffaw, and the ork warleader to chuckle.
Then the two of them head up the hill with Saanea the witch, and the three of them make their way to where Lisell Maera is.
Meanwhile Tamric Drubine runs off the trail, heading sideways across the hill. Making his way to where Shur Kee the monk is just down from the orchard and vineyard that's just below the rather large village that's further up the hill.
Saanea the witch stops next to Lisell Maera, and drops down next to the messenger in the armies of Farque.
While sir Percavelle Lé Dic goes to a knee behind the two of them, as they crouch behind a pile of large rocks.
Meanwhile Dorc da Orc who is huffing and puffing as he comes to a stop, just stands there in the middle of the trail. Not caring if anyone up in the village looks down this way, and sees him.
After hearing what the witch will do, Lisell Maera the messenger nods, then quietly says "Send them up as high as you can".
The attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, looks back at the former paladin and the ork weaponsmith, and says "You two work your way down from the top of the village".
Lisell Maera who is more commonly called Lis by those who know her well, then dryly says "I'm sure you two will get their attention".
"Tis true" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who adds a "Wot". While the warleader of the ork race just grunts.
The witch Saanea looks away to the right, and spots Tamric Drubine quietly speaking with Shur Kee the monk along the bottom edge of the orchard and vineyard, as smoke from the nearby village rises up into the early morning sky.
Then the pretty looking hillwoman looks towards the village, a moment later she stands up, and touches both sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc.
As she does, the spellcaster from here in the Maldin Hills stops holding her powers within herself.
And the next moment both the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic and the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world disappear.
Right after they do, the witch from the very north of the hill country, once again holds her power within herself.
As she does, Saanea looks carefully at the airship that's floating around the edges of the large village.
And wonders how it's best to attack something like an airship, as she has never done so before.
"I wonder how it's best to bring down a ship like that?" murmurs the pretty looking hillwoman, which Lisell Maera hears.
"Hit the keel" says the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger or runner in the armies of Farque.
"That's the best way to bring down an airship" adds Lis as they look up towards the village.
In the large village, Brossic the lowlander mercenary looks over at Gunnar the sorcerer as they follow some of the others up through the village.
"What is it?" asks Brossic the mercenary when he sees the spellcaster from the coast frowning.
"Someone just cast a spell" says Gunnar the sorcerer, who then adds a muttered "I think?". As he can no longer sense the other spellcaster now.
As a handful of the others ransack a house up away to the right, killing the occupants. And as a screaming child goes running by on the path up ahead. Where another house has just been set alight.
Grunna the sorcerer looks down the hillside, in the direction he's sure he sensed another spellcaster.
The practitioner of magic from the coast of the Southlands, is just about to tell Brossic, that something is amiss.
When they both hear something from somewhere further up in the terraced village, that sounds suspiciously like a roar.
"What the hell was that?" asks Brossic, who leads the crew of mercenaries.
There's a momentary pause, then Brossic who is from the lowlands, or flatlands as they're sometimes called, frowns then says "Is that someone shouting?".
"I think so" replies Grunna who looks back uphill, then they hear the roar again, followed by more shouting.
The leader of the crew of mercenaries who intend to carve out a nation for themselves here in the Maldin Hills.
Looks over at some of the others nearby, who have stopped what they're doing. As they too wonder what's happening uphill.
"Get up there and sees what's happening" orders Brossic the lowlander as they hear the roaring again, followed by the shouting.
"Saint Mar-che?" says Spranen the mercenary from the coastal port of Gilsom, who continues with "What's that?".
"I'm not sure" says Halnard the mercenary, who like Spranen is also from the large port town of Gilsom.
They're further up in the village, in a house, where Halnard has just killed a hillman, who had shot two of the others with his bow. Killing one of the mercenaries from down in the lowlands.
"And what the hell is all that roaring about?" mutters Spranen, who looks out the open kitchen window, and says "What's going on out there?" to one of the other mercenaries out on the nearby path, who is looking uphill.
"I'm not sure" says the mercenary outside in the early light of dawn, who is just about to say something else, when he instead his eyes bulge in surprise, then he looks over at Spranen and shouts "Run!" before he turns and sprints back down the path.
"What the fuck?" mutters the mercenary from the coastal town of Gilsom, who then pops his head out the open window, looks away to the right, up towards the top of the village.
Then he suddenly jerks his head back inside, and says "Fuck" in a tone of surprise.
"What's going on?" asks Halnard who makes his way across the kitchen to where Spranen is standing at the open window.
"There's a troll or something up the hill" says Spranen the mercenary.
"A troll?" says Halnard who is the most cautious of the core of five who are attempting to take over part of the Maldin Hills, and set up a nation of their own.
"There's no trolls in these hills" adds Halnard, who is from the port town of Gilsom too.
"Well, there's something big and green out there" says Spranen who then quickly adds "And it just ran right through the side of a fucking house".
Halnard pauses for just the briefest of moments, then he says "Let's go". The two of them hurry out the backdoor of the house, turn left, and head quickly downhill.
As they do, they hear someone shout "Saint Mar-che!" again from somewhere behind them. This time, much more closer.
In the middle of the large village, Brossic the lowlander and Grunna the sorcerer are looking uphill, wondering what's going on towards the top of the village as smoke from a burning house blows by.
Then they both spin around and look downhill, when they hear shouting coming from down in the orchard and vineyard. Where they left a group of the others to stop any of the villagers from fleeing downhill.
"We're under attack" states Brossic the crew leader.
"I agree" says Grunna the sorcerer, who then looks towards the waiting airship, that's drifted to the southwest side of the large village.
The spellcaster from the coast of the Southlands, wards the vessel. Well, the most vulnerable part of it. As it's far too large for him to put a barrier spell completely around it.
And just after he puts a barrier spell along the underside of the hull, over the keel. The sorcerer suddenly senses another practitioner of magic. And a moment later a blast spell hits the twin masted vessel that is owned by Sharnd the merchant.
And though the blast spell clips some of the ward covering the keel, which is protected. It still goes through the hull, and up through the airship.
"A witch!" hisses Grunna as he senses who the spellcaster is that's attacking the airship.
"Be careful" says Brossic, as he looks over at his fellow mercenary "It could be a trap to lure you in, and take you out" adds the leader of the crew of mercenaries.
Grunna the sorcerer who was about to teleport downhill, nods his head at the cautious advice from Brossic.
Then the two of them draw their swords, and quickly make their way down through the village. As up in the dawn sky, the airship is veering away to the south as those onboard realise that they're under attack . . . . . .